Latest news
Barrister wins right to see reports his bank made to police
A barrister has won the right to see suspicious activity reports that his bank made to the National Crime Agency about money received into his accounts.
Jail for PI lawyer who lied in witness statements
A solicitor described by a High Court judge as a “thoroughly dishonest man” has been jailed and a medical expert who produced 32 reports a day handed a suspended sentence.
Survey: Home-buyers “in the dark” over referral fees
Most home-buyers do not know if their conveyancer paid a fee for a recommendation from their estate agent, according to new research from the CLC.
Platform brings AI to pricing legal work
A legal costs and pricing specialist has designed artificial intelligence-powered software that it says will help law firms price work faster and more accurately.
Solicitor faked documents and signatures “to cover up mistakes”
An experienced solicitor who faked documents, including a grant of probate, and forged signatures on conveyancing forms has been struck off by the SDT.
Listed law firm leads October merger rush
The 1 October indemnity insurance renewal date still used by most law firms was marked by the usual rush of mergers and acquisitions, with listed law firm Knights leading the way.
Standard of proof: SRA “already most successful prosecutor”
The SRA enjoys the “highest prosecution success rate of any regulator we have found”, making it unnecessary to lower the standard of proof, the Law Society has said.
Proptech newcomer wins funding for conveyancing service
A proptech pioneer aiming to create a data-driven escrow service for conveyancers is exploring the use of blockchain security and is considering white-labelling its product.
Bar Council targets chambers’ “ineffective” harassment policies
The Bar Council is to publish new guidance for barristers and chambers on dealing with sexual harassment, amid claims that many chambers’ existing policies are “wholly ineffective”.
Law firm owned by 18 partners’ companies among new waivers
The Solicitors Regulation Authority has issued 23 waivers from its rules under a new policy – 18 of which have gone to sole practitioner law firms which together make up another firm’s partnership.
Blog
Why housing disrepair claims against councils have leapt by nearly 400%
Housing disrepair claims against councils have surged dramatically in recent years, with some areas reporting increases approaching a staggering 400%.
Client accounts: Opportunity, obligation and the risks in between
The profitability gap between well-run firms and the rest is not primarily a function of size, location or practice area – it is a function of financial management.
Motor finance – the FCA is more worried about banks than consumers
The Financial Conduct Authority’s motor finance redress scheme announced last week amounts to one of the largest ever consumer failures by the regulator.
